Blackout material

mrtoml · May 10, 2008

I currently am setting up a new darkroom in a biggish loft and I am thinking of buying this blackout material with velcro fastenings:

http://www.novadarkroom.com/product/331/Darkroom_Blackout_Material.html

Does anyone have any experience with this sort of stuff?

My main concern is that I want to be able to use the room as a guest room so the blinds will have to be easily removable (hence the velcro seems like a good solution).

This is further compounded by the fact that two of the windows are set into a sloping roof and I am concerned that the velcro will not be strong enough to hold the blinds up (the windows are about 1 meter square each). I have no experience with this sort of material and have no idea how heavy it is.

Has anyone else done this sort of thing? Used this velcro solution? Any alternative suggestions?

Cheers.

Justin Cormack · May 10, 2008

If its the same blackout material that Silverprint sells note that it is only light proof in 2 layers. Its not very heavy material so the velcro should hold it I would think (I just used drawing pins!).

The 2 layer thing is annoying though, its ok at night (there are no lights outside my room) so was fine in winter but now its summer I need to buy another piece.

kchittenden · May 10, 2008

I fashioned frames that go around the window. I covered them with two layer of black plastic. When guests are coming, I take them off and store them under the bed. It works very well.

Sirius Glass · May 10, 2008

Mark,

I am using Velco to hold up blackout curtain material for two doors and one window with no problems. For the doors, the Velco is only on the door frame above the door so that it does not show. The cloth has about 18" [half a meter] on each side of the door. I put a few short pieces of black gaffers tape to keep the cloth on the wall on the sides of the door.

Steve

doughowk · May 10, 2008

I have a darkroom space in the garage. All windows including those on the garage door have velcro sewed to the blackout material (available in draperies section of sewing material stores, eg Joannes) with matching velcro glued to the frames. She made curtains for one area that functions as dry darkroom space (enlargers, film loading, etc.). The one mistake we made was using white velcro for the windows - its amazing how much light can come thru the sides. Black velcro would have been a better choice.

RobC · May 10, 2008

Been there and tried that. Its a pain to use. You have to stick the velcro to the material and the window frame and it will come unstuck.

I have temporary darkroom which is a combination of bedroom and bathroom.

What I have done which works really well and is very light tight is the following:

Get a piece of mdf which is cut to exactly fill the complete window frame. Then saw one inch of each side being careful not to break the one inch strips.
You then use panel pins to fix those one inch strips around the inside edge of the window frame and they they remain permanently in place but are easy to remove if necessary. Then attach some rotating clips to the strips which hold the mainboard in place when you put it in window. I also taped a 1 inch strip of black felt aroung the outside facing side of the board so that when I put the board in the window, it is pushed up against the window frame. And I put a couple of draw knobs on the main panel to make lifting it in and out of the window really easy.
It takes only a few seconds to put the panel into place or remove it and is very light tight. I've done the same in the bathroom and a towel thrown across the bottom of the door stops any light coming in that way.

Pinholemaster · May 10, 2008

A quick, inexpensive material to black out a window is aluminum foil. Light weight, and it can be shaped in any form you need.

ITD · May 11, 2008

I had the kit from Nova in one of my earlier temporary darkrooms, and it was a plasticised material, rather than the cloth sort that Silverprint sell, so you don't need two layers.

I found that velcro on its own wasn't light tight enough and ended up using gaffer tape as well. For me, that defeated the object of using a temporary measure and the tape left marks on the paintwork.

Now I use the cloth from SP in two layers - even that is no good if the sun's shining directly at the window so I'm considering a (window) shutter type system to supplement it.

Using the Nova stuff on a frame which is placed into the window opening would probably the best use for it - I use it for anything where I can leave it permanently since it is more light tight than anything else, other problems notwithstanding.

Gary Holliday · May 11, 2008

I used the blackout pvc material from jessops with sticky velcro on a sloping bathroom skylight window.

If you use cheap velcro the glue melts in direct sunlight and light can creep in through the velcro. I found that the super strong velcro was best (not the cheap ebay stuff). It helps if you don't skimp on the velcro and have a continuous strip...this helps to keep it light tight.

Black velcro is also a better idea but it doesn't look good on the window frame after you have taken your temporary pvc down..so white was acceptable to the other half.

I still ended up using two layers when I wanted to print during the day. I recently completed my permanent darkroom and was able to use the same material recut to a suitable size for the door.

I think it's a great method but even professional darkroom blinds let light flood in if there's direct sunlight.

blokeman · May 11, 2008

Yes, velcro can be annoying... and not a great seal... but what I've been using for a few years which is absolutely 100% light-blocking is a material available in stores selling blinds/drapes. It's used as a 'backing' for drapes, it's actually called 'blockout'. In Australia it sells for about $13 per metre, I'm sure it'd be available in other countries. I've tried MDF & it tends to warp over a few months time. Sometimes to get a perfect seal I use thin wooden strips (about 25mm x 3 or 4mm) folded into the edge of the material then when attaching this to a wall, window surround or skylight etc ... I use some of that door sealing self adhesive stripping... it is a soft sponge material which gives a great seal when tacked between the wooden slats & whatever surface you're attaching it to. That all sounds a bit confusing (!!!) it's been a long day! Hope it makes sense. It works 120% for me anyway & I've even used it in 2 big skylight areas of my darkroom & not a hint of light comes through in the brightest mid-summers day.

RobC · May 11, 2008

blokeman said:
I've tried MDF & it tends to warp over a few months time.

This may be true if the mdf is thin but I use 5mm mdf and have had no problems over several years.

catem · May 11, 2008

When I had a 'longish-term' temporary blind over a window I used blackout material for curtains and blinds as mentioned above, available from John Lewis (and presumably elsewhere) I think it was about £5 per metre. You only need one layer. I now use the same material as curtains over two doors in a 'maze' entrance in my permanent darkroom (curtain rails and rings this time). It is impenetrable by light, and the nice thing is it's white, not black (there's no need to use black material). For the window I used stick-on velcro. It sticks fine to the window-frame but for the blind itself I machine-sewed it for reinforcement - I found when pulling it off the velcro just came away from the blind. The velcro joint itself (one to the other) is very strong as long as you use the stronger, wider sort, and will have no trouble holding a blind. If you do sew it, you will get pinholes of light through - which may be a problem for some processes - if this isn't solved by the way it sticks to the other solid velcro surface then you can cover with lightproof tape (if there's lots of direct light you might need several layers of gaffa tape).

mrtoml · May 11, 2008

Thanks for all your excellent replies. It is not an easy decision is it?

Where can one get 'professional' darkroom blinds from? I presume they will be prohibitively expensive...

catem · May 11, 2008

here's one source:

http://www.richards.uk.com/decora.htm

I've seen other ads in photography mags etc.

p.s Richards of Hull is a well-known solid firm - my second hand darkroom sink comes from them.

Chazzy · May 11, 2008

rob champagne said:
This may be true if the mdf is thin but I use 5mm mdf and have had no problems over several years.

Is that multi-something fiberboard? I'm acronym-impaired.

Chazzy · May 11, 2008

catem said:
here's one source:

http://www.richards.uk.com/decora.htm

I've seen other ads in photography mags etc.

p.s Richards of Hull is a well-known solid firm - my second hand darkroom sink comes from them.

If there is a U.S. supplier of a product like that, I haven't heard about it. It does sound a little nicer than putting plywood over a window, if the cost isn't prohibitive.

RobC · May 11, 2008

Chazzy said:
Is that multi-something fiberboard? I'm acronym-impaired.

It's "Medium Density Fibreboard". It's fine fibre with resin board.

MDF = Cheap

And in the UK B&Q (B&Q=DIY shop (DIY=do it yourself)) will cut it exactly to your required dimensions in the shop and I expect that if you ask for the one inch strips cut off, they will do that as well.

Plywood would be just as good but more expensive.

Lee L · May 11, 2008

I use sheet polyisocyanurate foam sandwiched between two thin aluminum foil skins. This is a pre-formed product sold for insulation in construction sheathing, and comes in varying thicknesses. This insulating panel goes by different trade names in the US, one is Tuff-R. It's lightproof, stiff, and very lightweight. http://building.dow.com/styrofoam/na/res-us/products/insulation/tuff_r.htm

My current darkroom has double glazing in a style that allows the inner pane to be easily removed and replaced. The air space between panes is 3/4 inch and a 3/4 inch panel of Tuff-R fits perfectly. I covered the edges of the panel with black masking tape and the window framing acts as a rebate around the edges so that I need nothing more to make it lightproof.

You could attach a foil/foam/foil panel to the window easily by using thin sheet magnets with adhesive on both the window frame and foam panel. Be sure to get the magnets aligned properly so that the attract rather than repel. A strip of the black velcro loop material around the edges would block edge leaks. If you paint the magnets on the window to match the frame, it would be very unobtrusive.

Lee

fschifano · May 13, 2008

Black plastic sheet, 6 mil. thick, from Home Depot or similar place is completely opaque and dirt cheap. Use that on a frame made to fit into the window opening. Seal up any leaks with felt or foam weatherstripping. You should be able to remove and replace it at will.

jlpape · May 13, 2008

I did similar to Frank, but bought cheaper 3mil, doubled over with aluminum foil sandwiched between. <$10 for a very large window. Works perfectly. I use duct tape to attach, but I am sure that there are other alternatives.

Simplicius · May 13, 2008

If you are worried about gaffer tape damaging your paintwork first put down a layer of painters masking tape, this will act as a substrate and has sufficent hold but isnt thick enough to block light. Then overlay this with gaffer tape to block out the light, it also comes off a whole lot easier too

Simplicius

defying logic since 1878

Mike Wilde · May 13, 2008

cheapo me

White foam core board (thrown away surplus at work regularly in 32x40" sizes) painted with black latex paint on one side.

Cut part way through to create 'hinges', and back the hinges with black gaffers tape, or black masking atpe, or paint both sodes black to prevent light leaks through the 'hinges'

Make the hinges the size of your window, and leave the flaps an inch or two wide, to fold back along the window frame. Fit to the inside of the window frame, and tack in place with a few pieces of gaffers tape.

Lee L · May 13, 2008

Mike Wilde said:
White foam core board (thrown away surplus at work regularly in 32x40" sizes) painted with black latex paint on one side.

Good idea.

I can also get black foam core and metal foil covered foam core at local craft supply stores. That would alleviate the need to paint.

Lee

Edwardv · May 14, 2008

Check Porter's Photography for their dark cloth. See link.

http://porters.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?

Edwardv · May 14, 2008

Try this again. If link does not take you to the darkroom cloth, click on darkroom accessories and scroll down until you see darkroom cloth.

http://porters.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=D1H

Blackout material

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